Fallen
by Supa Supa Bad Truly Mad Moves
Summary: Part Four of a three way crossover of Monsters vs Aliens, Maximum Ride, and Twilight. A glittery red creature haunts the dreams of the united families. No one knows what Fallen is or what its ambitions are, but everyone is treading carefully.
1. Temptation

**FALLEN**

**Part Four of a three-way crossover of Monsters vs. Aliens, Twilight, and Maximum Ride**

**Chapter 1: Temptation**

**ROSALIE HALE**

Life is no better than it used to be. We defeated the Volturi, and there's more love in the world now. Well, lah-dee-frickin'-dah.

Edward gave me a look. _What?_ I demanded silently.

Edward continued to glare, but eventually he looked away. He knew that my thoughts made absolutely perfect sense.

The Volturi are gone, so we can live. Live our endless, meaningless lives. Friends, family, love, it all comes down to the same thing. Repetition. We go to a new town, we go through high school again, we get married again, we go back into hiding. Again. Again and again and a-goddamn-gain. I hate it. I hate my existence.

I have come to realize exactly what it means to be a vampire. I love Emmett dearly, but our relationship will never change. We'll always have that spark of first love. We'll never have to maintain anything. But there's no love for a vampire, not really.

Take Aro, for example. He didn't really surrender out of love for Sulpicia. Given the choice between Sulpicia and power, he would of course choose power. But he knew, at the end of the battle, that his power was gone. The choice between Sulpicia and nothing, was a bit easier.

For a mortal, love is a partnership, one that must be maintained. Emmett and I don't need maintenance. We'll be in love forever, because we're unchanging, boring-ass immortals.

I was taken out of my reverie by the realization that I was no longer at home.

"Hello, grandchild," said a glittery red creature. "My name is Fallen. And you, of course, are Rosalie."

I nodded pleasantly. "A pleasure to meet you, Fallen. What can I do for you?"

"Tell me, grandchild, do you see yourself as a natural thing?"

"No," I said instantly. "I shouldn't exist. I'm an abomination."

Fallen nodded and scratched his chin. "What if I told you that vampires came to be in the same way as anything else? Vampires came from the earth just as any other species."

"I still say no," I said. "I should have died many years ago." I looked at my surroundings. The walls were high stone, and an electric-green sky was up above.

"This place is called the Cocoon," Fallen supplied.

"It's pretty," I said.

"You do not seem alarmed," Fallen noted.

"Well..." I began. I had been wondering myself why I had been so calm. "It's a nice place," I decided. "It's like, I can't really understand it clearly, but I know exactly what's happening. It's like a dream! That's it. I enjoy the feeling. I haven't had a dream in decades..."

"What if I told you that you could dream again?" Fallen whispered.

"Impossible," I said. "It can't be done. I accepted that so long ago."

I took a breath. And when I did, I realize that I needed to. That breath that I took was necessary for me to live. My heart was beating. I could already feel myself falling asleep.

But it didn't last a second. After the second had passed, I was immortal again.

"Would you like to be human again?" Fallen asked me. "I can do that."

"Yes!" I said. I was practically drooling. That one-second experience of returned mortality had been unbearably tempting.

"Are you sure?" Fallen showed me images. Emmett, Renesmee, Bella, Alice, Esme, Carlise, Jasper, even Edward and Jacob... all the faces I loved.

"I'm positive," I said. "I want to be human."

"Well, it will cost you."

"Anything," I said. "Anything."

Fallen leveled a glare at me. "You know what the cost is."

I nodded. "I do. I want to be mortal. I want to sleep. I want to change. And when the time is right, I want to die. I don't care about the price."

Fallen nodded. "Go, then, grandchild. You have eighteen hours to complete this task. No more."

And just like that, I was back home. My sudden elation caught the attention of Edward and Jasper, but I cleared out before they could get any idea where it came from.

I was practically skipping as I zipped through the forest. Fallen had given me everything I needed without even speaking. I would be human again, and the only price was a simple murder. I could do that, no sweat.


	2. Dream

**Chapter 2: Dream**

**MAXIMUM RIDE**

I pulled my blanket around myself. I realized that Fang was crawling into my bed with me.

"Hey there," I said. I kissed him lightly.

We both knew that nothing else was going to happen. He got under the blanket and hugged me tight, and we fell asleep, just like that.

The second I found myself drifting off, I was in a strange stone room. "Whoa," I said.

"I greet you, grandchild," said a glittery red creature. "I am Fallen."

"Is this a dream?" I asked.

"That would depend on your definition of a dream," Fallen said cryptically.

"Uh-huh. Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather have the dream about being in a swimming pool with Chace Crawford."

Fallen paused. "Chace Crawford?" it said blankly.

"Yeah. He's hot."

"Um..." Fallen seemed at a loss. "Well, as I was saying, that would depend upon your definition of a dream. If by a dream, you mean something not happening in this world, something only in your head, then yes, it is a dream. If by a dream, you mean as a fleeting path without origin or meaning... then no, absolutely not."

"Oh, so it's not enough that I have a voice in my head, I have to have visions too?"

"I do not know anything about that," Fallen said, and somehow I knew that it was the truth. "Tell me, Max, do you see yourself as something of nature?"

"Of course not," I said. "I was made in a lab. Nature could never come up with something like me."

Fallen scratched its chin. "Interesting," it said.

"Uh-huh. Can I have my Chace Crawford dream now?"

"You interest me, Max," Fallen said. I nearly applauded its ability to ignore my wisecracking. "You are unnatural, and yet... your fate is remarkably important. You are intertwined quite strongly with the Earth."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I've heard it all before. Do you have any original material?"

"You are nothing I have ever experienced," Fallen said. "I do not judge. I do not interfere. I only observe. We shall meet again, Maximum Ride. Until then, hold your heart close and know that you are not alone."

"Ooooooh-kay."

And I was back in bed. It was morning, and the four junior members of the flock were surrounding me.

"What happened here?" Nudge demanded.

"We're just cuddling," Fang said. "Nothing happened."

"I had a funky dream, though, I'll say that much," I muttered.

"Chace Crawford?" Nudge asked.

Fang spun to face me. "Chace Crawford? Blecch."

"I don't dream about Chace Crawford," I snarled to Nudge. "No, it was a very different dream."

"That wasn't a dream, Max," Angel said. "Fallen is interested in us. Well, mostly you."

"Fallen?" Nudge repeated. "Huh... I had a dream about something named Fallen."

"Glittering red?" Fang asked. "Crazy hair? Wings?"

We all looked around at each other. "Well, I can't wait to hear Jeb explain this one," I muttered.

"Jeb had nothing to do with it," Angel said. "Fallen works alone."


	3. Lock and Key

**Funny story: I just went to the Twilight Saga Wiki, and I really wish I hadn't. Learned some nasty stuff about the Volturi. Turns out that Marcus' perpetual boredom isn't a lovable quirk as I thought it was. It's a very depressing story, actually, and he's a total zombie. I know he's fictional, but I now feel really guilty for making fun of him back in Chapter 3 of "Love and War". And Aro? Forget about it. Nothing endearing about him at all. I'm glad I didn't go there until **_**after**_** I removed the Volturi from the story. Well, moving along. Just thought I'd share that.**

**Chapter 3: Lock and Key**

**BELLA CULLEN**

"Rosalie is up to something," Edward muttered.

"Don't pry into private business, Edward," Esme said.

"No, this is something bigger than the old standby of 'Rose-Rose-Rose'," Edward said. "She's planning something that will effect the entire family. _All_ of the family."

"What, like a sinister plot or something?" I asked. "Rose wouldn't. Would she?"

Edward concentrated hard on Rose. "Emmett, who's Fallen?"

"Huh?" Emmett said.

Edward read Emmett's mind for a few more seconds. "So she didn't tell Emmett," Edward muttered. "What is she up to?"

"Where did you hear that name?" Rosalie demanded.

"Well, you know the whole controlled-thoughts technique that Alice and Jake are so good at?" Edward said.

"What about it?"

"Yeah, you suck at it. Seriously, what are you planning?"

"I'm not telling."

"Rose..."

"Uh-uh. This is personal."

"Tell me."

"No! About, above, across, after, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind..."

Alice threw a ball across the room, and Rosalie missed a beat in her recitation. She looked up at Edward, horrified.

"What in the name of...?" Edward muttered.

"What?" I asked.

"I can read Rosalie's mind normally, but when she thinks about her plans, it's like she's shielded."

Rosalie grinned. "Fallen thinks of everything, doesn't he? Now, if you'll excuse me, I have only eleven hours to finish all of my tasks, so..."

Edward tackled Rosalie and pinned her to the ground. "Tell me what you're up to," he snarled.

"Whoa!" Emmett roared. "What the hell are you doing, dude?"

"Stop!" Alice shrieked. "This is what Fallen wants!"

We all turned to face her. "I don't know what Fallen is," she said apologetically. "But I have a general idea what it wants. I attuned myself to Rosalie's plans, but Rosalie's destiny isn't her own anymore. It's Fallen's."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Carlisle said.

"No. For Rosalie's will to return, she needs to fail at her task."

"No!" Rosalie yelled. "I need to succeed! He can make me mortal!"

Emmett gaped. "You want to become mortal? What about us, Rose?"

"To hell with us!" Rose snarled. "When I become mortal, I'll have everything I've been aching for since I was turned!"

"What about me, Aunt Rose?" Nessie said quietly. "I thought you liked me."

"I do, Nessie, but you're not mine," Rosalie said.

"Stop trying to persuade her," Edward said. "She won't be swayed. She wants to be mortal. Alice, what else do you see?"

"If Rosalie succeeds, Fallen's plans will be furthered," Alice said. "I can't... I can't see... I don't know. Chaos. That's all I'm getting. Fallen wants chaos."

"And if Rosalie fails?" Edward asked.

Alice thought. "Fallen will be furious. It'll send signs... then it'll come to Earth."

"How are you seeing this?" Jacob asked. "I thought you could only see humans and vampires."

Alice frowned. "Fallen used to be a person of some kind. I don't know, you guys. Just... keep Rose restrained until her deadline passes. Eleven hours. Emmett? Can we count on you for that?"

Emmett looked down at Rose, who was laboriously panting, "Let me go. You don't know what it's like. He made me human for one second... Bella! Remember breathing? What if you could go back to it, huh?"

I shook nervously. She was putting me on the spot.

"Rose, are you really going to sell out your whole family?" Edward asked.

"You betcha!" Rosalie snarled.

Emmett looked down at Rosalie. "Yeah, I'll keep her under control."


	4. Adoption

**Chapter 4: Adoption**

**SUSAN MURPHY**

Well, with the fight being over and all, Dr. Cockroach and I were going through with Link's idea of adopting a child.

"So, what kind of child are you looking for?" the social worker asked.

"We don't really care," I said. "Just whatever child would benefit the most from a healthy home. Probably an orphaned child, a bit older."

"Okay," she said. "Well, I suppose the first step is to call your references."

I passed her my cell phone. It was almost as tall as she was. "This is a very good friend of mine," I said. "Bella Cullen. She can definitely vouch for me."

I dialed the number, and was greeted with an anxious, "Hey, Susan?"

"Is this Bella Cullen?" the social worker asked.

"Yes. Who's this? Where's Susan?"

"Susan is right here. I'm with an adoption agency. Susan and Dr. Cockroach selected you as their first reference."

"Oh, thank God," Bella said. "I was afraid something had happened... well, yes, any questions you have, I can vouch for the two of them..."

"No time," said Edward's voice.

"Okay, we don't really have time right now. Can you put me on with Susan, please?"

I took the phone. "What's going on, Bella?"

"Have you had any encounters with a creature named Fallen?" she asked.

"No," I said. "There was something about that on Fang's blog. Why?"

"Something is playing around in our heads and messing with our lives," Bella said. "We're going to have a gathering tomorrow, in Denali. Can you be there?"

"Of course," I said.

"Thanks. You two are gonna be great parents... I'll vouch for you. Give me back to the adoption person."

I handed the social worker the phone. Dr. Cockroach looked up at me nervously.

"She sounded awfully scared," I said. "Fallen... it sounds so familiar. Where do I know of a creature called Fallen?"

"Fallen?" Dr. Cockroach asked. "It's in my book."

"What book?"

"The book of ancient, forgotten creatures of mythology," he said. "Universal mythology; things that appear in every separate culture. I've been reading it every night. There's a very prominent chapter in it about Fallen; a celestial being devoted to balance and neutrality, who is most often dormant but awakens when the balance is tipped."

I considered that. "Bring that book to the gathering tomorrow," I said. "Bella seems really shaken up. Fang's blog had something about it too... I think our friends are in danger."

"From Fallen?" Dr. Cockroach said. "No, my book says that Fallen would never harm anyone... of course, the old vampire and werewolf myths aren't exactly accurate either. Yes, I'll bring the book. And I'll reread the chapter on Fallen tonight."


	5. About Time

**Chapter 5: About Time**

**FANG**

Well, I'm just answering all the stupid questions that my blog readers post. The usual, "will you marry Max", "will you marry me", "will Max marry me"... and a few unexpected ones, like, will our descendants hatch from eggs or be born live. More intellectual than I'm used to, but still.

I realized that Max was reading over my shoulder. "Thought you didn't care for the blog," I said.

"I didn't used to," she said. "But now I've got a couple of personal reasons to use every resource possible to figure out what goes on inside this skull." She rapped my head with her knuckles to emphasize.

I turned around in my chair. "Max, this has been going on for a while. I can be myself around you. Just you, nobody else. I know I seem really quiet and mysterious, but the fact is I can only express myself to you."

She looked uneasy. "Well... I'm not really comfortable talking about emotions either way, if you don't mind."

"Well, you know I love you, right? Always have."

"Yeah, I know."

"Thanks, Han. Come on, you can do better than that."

She fell down to the ground. "I don't know, Fang. I feel like I can't afford to have emotions. Bad for the judgment."

"Judgment?" I repeated. I sat down on the ground next to her. "Max, when will you get it through your head? We're free. We're normal. I mean, look at us. When was the last time we were this clean? I flossed today and I didn't bleed. Nudge can spell now. Words!"

She laughed, then froze suddenly.

"Voice?" I asked.

"Yeah... give me a second..."

I waited patiently.

"Ah, this thing is useless," she muttered.

"It brought us to Modesto, didn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

"We found family there," I continued.

"Uh-huh."

"People who we can truly rely on. Isn't that what we've always wanted?"

"I still say that was a mistake," she said.

"Why?" I demanded.

"Why not?" she snarled. "Explain to me how anything useful can come out of that."

"We grew," I said simply. She looked at me. "We all grew a lot. We found a community who can truly accept us. Humans can't accept us. They can only feel sorry for us. They can only imagine that they're our friends. But these people, these non-humans... they know exactly what we've gone through. And they helped us grow."

She sighed. "I trust them," she said. "I trust them, and I love them... but that always turns out to be such a bad idea."

"Open your eyes," I said. "Of course it's not a bad idea. I actually look forward to getting feedback on my blog now. Yes, there are the sixty thousand morons who pop up every day, but then there are some others... everything I submit, I can count on at least three people who really, really want to hear what I have to say... who really want to know that we're safe... because they love us. Look at Nudge and Iggy. They're... so different. So happy. Yes, Nudge's relationship with Aaron was... hellish, to put it kindly, but if that hadn't happened, I don't think she ever would have realized that she had feelings for Iggy... and that's just a great day for everybody."

I realized that I had a tear in my eye. I wiped it off and held up my finger to Max. "See, how often do you find these?"

"Not often," she said, and I realized that she was crying as well. "You don't see very many of those." She laughed through her tears.

"And then there's you," I continued. "I remember your talk with Susan at her wedding... man, I've never heard you just bare your soul like that. Would you have said those things to a human? I don't think so."

"No, I wouldn't have," she said, barely more than a whisper.

"It's when I hear you talking like that," I said. "Hearing exactly what's in your heart... there's nothing as difficult as listening to that and not kissing you."

She took my hand. "Well, you don't have to do that anymore," she said.

She kissed me. She hadn't initiated a kiss since our very first... the one that "just happened", the one that she regretted so much. Well, I suppose she doesn't anymore. I kissed her back. All night, we kissed, and well into the morning. Nothing else mattered.


	6. Gathering

**Chapter 6: Gathering**

**JACOB BLACK**

Rosalie buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what to think," she muttered. "I mean, I am so sorry for all the things I've done and said this past day... but I had my chance for mortality, and I'm so sure that it would have been worth it."

"Worth what?" Bella asked. "You still haven't made it clear what exactly your 'tasks' were."

"I don't want to say," Rosalie murmured. "It's embarrassing... the family would have been hurt very badly. And I didn't do it, right? So it doesn't matter."

Bella and I looked to Edward, who shook his head. "Nothing," he said. "Fallen covers its tracks well. Whenever Rosalie thinks of it... it just vanishes."

Nessie was returning from a quick shopping trip. Rosalie looked up at her in horror. "Nessie," she said. "Nessie, I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, Rose," Nessie said.

"When... when I said you weren't mine..."

"I know what you meant," Nessie said. "It's okay. You're back now. You're you again."

Rosalie looked relieved, and hid her face again.

Nessie came up to me and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. She quickly turned to her parents and said, "I know this is kind of scary for you two, but Jake and I are meant to be together. It should be sooner rather than later, right?"

Bella stared. "See, this is why kids shouldn't grow up," she grumbled. "Nothing prepares you for that."

Insectosaurus swooped in on our meeting place. Oddly, I found that an office-building-sized butterfly had become an expected feature of my life, and I barely looked when the other four members of that group of the family dismounted. So I didn't notice the teenaged girl accompanying them until she was pointed out to me.

"Look at that girl," Seth whispered.

The girl was very tall, and appeared strong but not well-fed. Her skin was nearly pitch-black, and her hair was probably the cleanest and shiniest I had ever seen on any person.

"Everyone, this is Oluchi," Susan said. "She's our new daughter!"

I looked at the girl in surprise. "Really? Doesn't the adoption process take, like, months?"

"We're rich," Susan said simply.

"Yeah, that'd do it."

Susan and Dr. Cockroach led Oluchi around the group, making introductions.

"Jake," Seth whispered. "Jake, I think I imprinted."

I looked at him. "On Oluchi?" I asked. Stupid question. Oluchi was the only person there who Seth had never met, and he was looking at her like she was the supreme goddess of the universe. Not the best question I'd ever come up with.

"I think so," Seth said. Now he was just being silly. When you imprint, you know you've imprinted. I decided to mess with him a bit.

"Well... do you feel like you finally know who you are?"

"Uh-huh. I'm hers."

"Right. Does it feel like you need to protect her?"

"By any means necessary."

"Does it feel like every celestial body in the universe provides a direct link from you to her?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yeah, that's not an imprint, that's just a bad reaction to the queso dip."

Seth gaped at me. "I'm kidding, dude," I said.

Oluchi's tour of the group had finally reached us. "I'm Jacob," I said. "This is Seth."

"Listen, Ginormica... I mean Mom," Oluchi said. She spoke in a deep, husky timbre. "I'll never remember all these names today. I'll need some time."

"I love you," Seth blurted. "I'm your Seth. We're gonna be together forever."

Kid knows how to pick up girls.

"Smooth," Leah said, patting Seth's head.

Oluchi seemed freaked out. Sensible, but it wouldn't last. No one can resist a wolf once they get their groove on. Ah-woo-woo-woo!

I don't know where that came from. I've never ah-woo'd in my life. Anyway, where was I?

Well, the flock had turned up. I caught a bit of their conversation.

"Hey, Iggy, I think we should date," Nudge said.

"Mm... I don't think so," Iggy replied.

"What?" Nudge said suspiciously. "Iggy, are you not that into me?"

"I'm absolutely into you, Nudge, but we've known each other all our lives. We know all our ups and downs. We don't need to date."

"Max and Fang are gonna date."

"Max and Fang aren't a very good relationship barometer, Nudge-ster."

"Why?"

"Because they're both dead and hollow inside."

Max tossed a pine cone at Iggy, who caught it in his hand, then realized what he had done and examined his catch.

"Okay, that's just plain cool," Nudge said.

Iggy tossed the cone back to Max, who dodged it with no large effort. "So, you're saying that anyone who dates is dead inside?" Max said.

"I didn't say that. Just you two. And that's why you're not a good example for a relationship."

"Excuse me, everyone!" Edward called. "Um, the meeting will come to order. Thank you all for coming... I just realized how corny and impersonal that sounds. But, I think at this point you're all familiar with Fallen. Alice has seen that Fallen will come here and investigate us... our whole family. And before it does it will send some signs..."

There was a great cracking noise coming from behind us. We all turned to see that an enormous billboard had risen out of the ground. The billboard was decorated with a photograph of the ruby-skinned, wild-haired creature, smiling brightly and making a "peace" sign with two fingers. The message on the billboard read: "Countdown time! Only 6 days to Fallen's arrival!" The number "6" was on a digital screen.

Glances were exchanged throughout the entire group.

"Well..." Quil offered, "it has a sense of humor. That's a good thing, right?"

Dr. Cockroach was flipping frantically through his book of universal mythology. "I'm at a loss here," he muttered. "This book won't be any help."

"Well, we'll learn more than the book could ever tell us pretty soon," Max said grimly. "Say, six days?"


	7. Studies

**Chapter 7: Studies**

**DR. COCKROACH PH.D.**

I went over the chapter about Fallen for the hundredth time. It was futile; the book wasn't exactly meant to guide the readers to an encounter with Fallen.

I knew that the creature appeared in every culture all across the globe; its name in every language in the world translated to "Fallen", no variations. It lived in the Cocoon, a sort of portable tower that was in fact an entire universe.

The most interesting thing I discovered is that Fallen had a twin sister named Solar. Interesting, but not especially helpful. Solar left the Earth many millennia ago and never intended to return.

Oluchi was hanging out with Seth. They were getting quite chummy. Oluchi had only been my daughter for a few days, but still, I didn't like the idea of a boy looking at my daughter in that way.

Jacob had assured me that my reaction was typical for the parent of an "imprintee", as he called it. He told me that once I came to fully understand the pureness of the relationship, I would embrace it.

My thoughts returned to Fallen. I tossed the book. It would be of no help.


	8. Showdown

**Chapter 8: Showdown**

**ALICE CULLEN**

Our six days were up. The instant the sun rose, all of us found ourselves in the Cocoon.

I saw that coming, of course, but no psychic vision could prepare a person for the experience of actually being in the Cocoon. An alien world. An entire universe barely the size of a building. Green skies crackling with electricity, high stone walls. The family stood at the top of a tall, cylindrical tower; Fallen was at the foot of it.

"Your representatives, please," Fallen said.

Susan and Max walked up to Fallen without hesitation. Edward and Carlisle both made "after you" motions.

"Carlisle..." Edward said, irritated.

"You're the king," Carlisle reminded him.

"Against my will," Edward retorted.

"Not you," Fallen said. "Bella."

Bella looked surprised, but joined Susan and Max. Fallen paced in front of the three of them.

"Tell me," he said. "Tell me your views on your family."

Bella, Max, and Susan turned to look back at us briefly before turning back to Fallen. "They're the greatest people in the world," Bella said. "And the reason they're the greatest people in the world is because they try really, really hard."

"They're perfect," Susan said. "No human family could ever be so perfect. And just to clarify - when I talk about my family, I don't just mean these four guys... and my new daughter." She shot a quick smile at Oluchi. "When I say family I mean every single person here. I care for them very much."

"Whoa, when did we leave the forest?" B.O.B. wondered. I pushed him off the edge of the tower.

"I agree with what Susan said," Max said. "This family deserves nothing more or less than absolute peace. So listen close, you Fallen piece of dog doo. You cause these people any more grief, I will personally send you to the hell you belong in!"

"I am not the devil you believe me to be," Fallen said. He held up a hand to stop the many retorts that were forthcoming. "Nor am I God. I never claimed to be God. Is it so impossible to imagine that I am neither good nor evil?"

"You're called the Fallen," Max said. "That sounds evil enough to me."

"I am not 'the Fallen'. My name is Fallen. I would not call you 'the Susan', or 'the Bella', or 'the Max', would I? It is only a name."

"Actually, that would be pretty cool," Max mused. "The Max."

"I do not interfere," Fallen said. "I do not judge. I only seem to from your limited perspective. Now then..."

Three men appeared out of nowhere.

"I greet you, fathers," Fallen said. "Carl Murphy, Jeb Batchelder, and Charlie Swan."

Jeb narrowed his eyes. "Fallen," he said.

"Beside you, each of you will notice your only daughter. Your inhuman, unnatural daughter. I would hear your opinions, your views about your little girls. After you tell me, you may all go."

Carl was the first to speak. Never a particularly articulate fellow, he said only, "Susan is a hero. She wouldn't be if she had stayed human. I'm grateful."

Charlie looked at Bella. "I don't know what Bella is," he admitted. "But whatever it is, she can love. And if you think that a person who can love is unnatural, Mr. Fallen, I'd hate to imagine your idea of nature."

Jeb looked at Max. In the past month, she had become taller than him. He stared deeply for several minutes before speaking. "Max doesn't consider herself my daughter, and I can fully understand that. Anything unnatural about her is my doing, and I am truly sorry that I did that to her. I wish she was able to believe that I love her... but it's too late for that. She is innocent. If you seek the return of balance or nature or whatever it is that you want, remove me, not her."

Max gaped. "Oh my God," she muttered. "Jeb..."

Fallen blinked. It was a slow process that was fascinating to watch. Many seconds passed, then an hour. Silence. Then Fallen abruptly held out a hand. Three lightning bolts shot from his finger, aimed at Carl, Jeb, and Charlie.

Their three daughters intercepted the bolts, and were immediately fried. Vaporized. Disintegrated. Three futures faded into blackness.

Fallen blinked again. "I see," he said.

And we were all back in the Alaskan forest, including the three summoned fathers. Many pairs of eyes turned to me. They expect me to be omniscient. I'm not; I'm only the next best thing. But, I realized, the next best thing just might be enough in this case.

"He's gone," I said. "No one on Earth will see or hear from Fallen for another seven thousand years."

"That's it, then?" Fang said. "We're... we're at peace now. That's great. All we needed was a big sacrifice. That's... that's wonderful." Fang's face contorted into a mask of anger, and he yelled up at the sky. "Who the fuck do you think you are, Fallen?" he roared. "This was just a little game, wasn't it? You've ruined us! You've ruined our lives! Max... Max..."

Fang dropped to his knees, burying his face in the snow. "Max," he muttered over and over, his back shuddering.

"Susan," Dr. Cockroach whispered. His face was expressionless.

Edward stepped forward. "Bella," he wailed.

Visions of suicide danced through Edward's future. I wouldn't try to stop him this time. No point. He read my thoughts and muttered, "Thank you."

Three figures fell out of the sky. The first bounced and tumbled forward. A mouthful of snow was spat from between a pair of uneven lips. "What happened?" Bella demanded. "What just happened? Is Charlie okay? Is Fallen gone?"

The second figure landed with a heavy impact that knocked snow off the tree branches. White snow got into the person's even whiter hair, and she stood up to her full, forty-nine-foot height.

The final figure spread a pair of multicolored wings to slow her descent. "Hey, Fang," she said. "You're supposed to lay on your _back_ to make a snow angel."

Fang's head snapped up. Max invitingly spread her arms, and Fang leapt upon her, kissing her with fiery passion.

Three futures came sparkling back to life, as if they'd never been gone. Bella would continue to live, the same happy, loving presence she'd always been. Susan would raise her newly adopted daughter, and in a way, would also raise everyone she came into contact with. Max and Fang would go home tonight and... whoops. I turned my eye away from that future, dwelling only long enough to be sure that nothing ill would come of it.

The path was clear. Everything was perfect. Still is, really.

**...to be concluded in "Moon, Sun, and Stars", the fifth and final book of the Three-Way Crossover Saga**


End file.
